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Will power folding mirrors ever arrive for this wide car? At least 'wide' by European parking standards......

Will power folding mirrors ever arrive for this wide car? At least 'wide' by European parking standards......

Submitted by vouteb on Sat, 2012-11-17 04:16

The Tesla Ownership Experience Team verified that the Model S does not currently have the mechanical components necessary for power folding side mirrors. So, this feature cannot be implemented via software only and therefore cannot be added.

oyvind.hestnes |
17 november 2012

Well, they should make it available before the S goes onto the EU-market next year......

vouteb |
17 november 2012

I am waiting on Volker's words of wisdom.....

Captain_Zap |
17 november 2012

I use Volkerize.com when VolkerBerlin isn't available I and found the following thread where we discussed the mirror issue and discovered that they were recruiting a design engineer for exterior mirrors.

That doesn't mean that it will happen, but we are hopeful that this is an indication that they are working on it.

vouteb |
18 november 2012

yep, remembered that....

Volker.Berlin |
18 november 2012

vouteb, I just recently had an email chat with "the" Tesla guy responsible for Europe (at least that's how I read his business card). When I met him at Geneva's motor show earlier this year, he had offered me a personal bet of ten pound sterling that the Model S would have power-folding mirrors when it arrives in Europe. The same guy now conceded that not unlikely he is going to lose that bet (which technically means he owes me a beer or two, which is a small quantum of solace). Mind you that was no official information from Tesla, and certainly not the final word on the issue. Hope is still there, but slowly vanishing...

vouteb |
18 november 2012

Thanks Volker

Bad news for a car at this price competing against European luxury cars. Even if ICE

:(

vouteb |
18 november 2012

Was it Steve?

Captain_Zap |
18 november 2012

That's a bummer. I think it's in their best interests to add it at some point. There are many old garages out there that are not very wide. I wouldn't worry so much about it if it were a narrower car.

s_curve |
19 november 2012

Ditto that, Cap. It looks like I'm only going to clear my garage by about an inch on both sides. I guess I can't be in too big a rush to arrive or leave.

weeandthewads |
19 november 2012

Are they manual folding?

Brian H |
19 november 2012

rtesta;
Yes.

s_curve;
Manually flipping back just the driver's side should give you a couple more inches. Or you could try my "bumper" idea: strategically placed rubber bumpers that force them to fold before you reach the garage door ...
:)

Volker.Berlin |
19 november 2012

rtesta, yes. A forum member has actually verified (by way of tape measure) that the "Width (mirrors folded)" as indicated on the Specs page is accurate. (Even though the image seems to suggest that the fenders may be wider than the folded mirrors, this is not actually the case but seems to be an artifact due to the perspective of the image).

Brian H |
19 november 2012

s_curve;
Or plan C: just 'bump' the passenger side, since the driver side is accessible by rolling down the window. :)

s_curve |
19 november 2012

Brian H: I like the rubber bumber idea. I have a friend that is skilled enough to do it in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. Will have to look into it now. Thanks. I just don't see myself getting in and out of the car to manually adjust in every scenario. That torrential rain from the recent storm here on the East coast comes to mind.

Brian H |
19 november 2012

s_curve;
Excellent; pix when complete! I think I'll retain Industrial Design rights for the idea. Maybe request $10 fees from future adopters. Only 8,000 of them and I'll be able to afford a Perf.!

DouglasR |
19 november 2012

Brian, I back into my garage. Think your bumper idea would work? ;)

Brian H |
19 november 2012

Douglas;
A very carefully angled one might; it might have to be spring-loaded, though. |9-/ More of a pusher than a 'bumper'.

Brian H |
19 november 2012

Douglas;
Got it; a two-step! Backing past them releases the bumpers, then going forward a few feet again folds the mirrors. Then resume backing.

Unfortunately, re-cocking them, and opening the mirrors again once you leave the garage, is still "hands-on". At least you're spared half your work and the loss of a mirror from time to time!
>;-p
LOL

DouglasR |
19 november 2012

There are two downsides:

1. I need my mirrors to back into the garage.

2. I'm sure I would rip at least one mirror off the car if I tried this trick.

hammy16 |
19 november 2012

I did a width measurement today using a small plumb bob and thread.
Measured 86 5/8 inches mirrors out (tesla literature mentions 86.2 inches)
Mirrors in was 77 1/2 inches

Measured "hip" of car at widest point over the rear tire and got 77 1/4 inches or
almost identical to the mirrors" in " width. With 19 inch tires the outside of the tire
is the same width as the fender hip

Accuracy probably a little better than 1/4 inch

RDoc |
20 november 2012

What's the legal situation for in Europe WRT replacing the side mirrors with cameras? There's been a lot of talk that the Model X will use cameras to reduce Cx, but there are some legal issues with that in the US.

vouteb |
20 november 2012

No idea

but the lack of automatic folding mirrors for a while, has been confirmed

I again confirmed no power folding mirrors. Unfortunately, with a 9ft wide driveway with walls on either side and a 93" garage opening, without power folding mirrors I think I will have to return the deposit and move on. I am waiting until the next announcement of possible package changes (hopefully in early December) before I throw in the towel. Not happy about this, but it is also not worth losing a mirror over. I know many must be in a similar situation.

Getting Amped Again |
29 november 2012

The Model S is 86.2" wide with the mirrors out. If you reach out and pull the driver's mirror in it is 81.75" wide. I have faith in you - you can do it!

vouteb |
30 november 2012

I am on the point of throwing in the towel as well

Paying 100k and then bumping, or getting the mirrors bumped/broken in Parkings is a waste

I have a faint hope that by the time it gets here(UK) it 'might' have it, but its faint

Volker.Berlin |
30 november 2012

brianw31, vouteb, as another European, I'm in the same boat, and I certainly did may fair share to raise this issue to Tesla's attention. In any event -- be sure that you do not cancel until the very last moment!

That's what you indicate, anyway, but I want to stress it once more. Cancelling early won't buy you anything (especially not in the current financial markets), and we won't know for sure before the Model S is in fact "there". There have been positive surprises in the past, be careful not to deprive yourself of a positive surprise in the future. :-)

vouteb |
30 november 2012

yep

maybe,just maybe, there is a reward of having to wait this long.

Separately I got a message from a friend in Atlanta who test drove the S , since I have been pestering him over the last 2 years and he was seriously impressed!
He drives a big ass Merc right now.

Stark |
30 november 2012

@vouteb and brianw31, keep the faith! I did a test drive last week and the smile still hasn't left my face. The car truly is incredible. I won't even attempt to describe what it was like to drive it because I won't do it justice, however the first words to escape my grinning face was "holy sh!t"!!! I'm still trying to convince my wife that this is the car for us, so I'm jealous to hear from all you reservation holders and saddened that you’re considering dropping your reservation. I would gladly risk losing the occasional mirror to own this truly spectacular car!

stephen.pace |
30 november 2012

Or you can be crazy like me and pay to modify your garage to make it wider. :-)

Tiebreaker |
30 november 2012

Or be really really crazy, and walk out to fold the mirrors. . . :-P

Tiebreaker |
30 november 2012

I am really with Stark on this, and really jealous at you guys with reservations. Would hate to see you dropping out over such an issue.

stephen.pace |
30 november 2012

@Tiebreaker: I did that at first, but it got old, especially when it was raining. :-)

lwigley |
30 november 2012

If they do this, I'd also like to see more adjustment range. When I took the test drive, I wasn't able to get the angle that I've been taught to use to minimize my blind spot. I'd hate to think that the rearview camera is the primary way to see back there.

brianw31 |
1 december 2012

@Stephen.pace, I did the test drive months ago and had the same reaction you did--it is an amazing car to drive. Unfortunately, modifying the retaining walls to make a 10ft drive is $40K as it would require integration with 150ft of additional retaining wall (which I am going to do eventually, but not for a few years). Once that's done, I could widen the door opening by 4-6 inches, but that wouldn't change the entry as it is already off-set and I would still need to fold the right side mirror. Living in liquid sunshine Seattle, I have no desire to get in and out of a $95K car 9 months out of the year to fold the mirrors just to get in and out of my garage.

At this time, I have decided to cancel and re-reserve and hope they fix it by January, if not I will likely purchase the Lexus ES300h. It's no Tesla in performance or mileage, but it has the MPG of a Prius, better interior storage, and I don't have to buy a new house to fit it in the garage. Hopefully, Tesla will still be in business and fix either the width or the mirror issue as I would certainly purchase one in the future.

Volker.Berlin |
1 december 2012

brianw31, width will definitely fixed by GenIII (aka 3-series competitor), expected to hit the streets 2015 (in the best of worlds). Based on the little experience we have, Tesla seems eager to fix the details, so there is a vague possibility that at some point they will fix the mirrors, too.

@Volker, I remain optimistic, but reality is beginning to set in that this likely won't happen. Not really interested in the GenIII and hope that they come out with a S 2.o for the new year, but if not, I do need a more green (i.e. fuel efficient) comfortable car that can go 100 miles a day and I won't wait until 2015 to get it. I will keep my fingers crossed that Elon will come to his senses on several of his idiosyncrasies around the model S.

Brian H |
2 december 2012

At least he's not saying "Any color you want, as long as it's black" (his favorite).

;)

Alex K |
2 december 2012

@Brian H | DECEMBER 2, 2012: At least he's not saying "Any color you want, as long as it's black" (his favorite).

Yeah, but the "blue" and "green" colors are effectively black. It seems that allot of the decisions for the car's features were based someone's personal idiosyncrasies. If I were designing the car, it would have a totally different set of idiosyncrasies.

But back on topic, I don't personally need the folding mirrors for my garage, although 2 of my cars do have folding mirrors which makes it nice for close quarter parking. Hopefully, someone will be able to offer some aftermarket addition for folding in the mirrors - and I don't mean a string to pull the mirrors in and a stick to fold them back out.

vouteb |
3 december 2012

Alex K

If you have it fitted by somebody else you'll void the warranty

Vawlkus |
4 december 2012

There isn't going to be a S 2.0 for a couple of YEARS, if at all, much less a couple months after production start.

Your best bet is reserving a Model X and hoping Tesla gets the laws changed so they can do away with mirrors altogether and rely on cameras instead.

petero |
4 december 2012

My guess, by the time TM gets around to mechanical folding mirrors... side view cameras will be permitted.

vouteb |
5 december 2012

petero: Not in Europe

nickjhowe |
5 december 2012

Maybe that's why no power mirrors - an expectation/hope that they'll be able to get approval on cameras in the not-too-far-distant future. Maybe a retrofit option?

Brian H |
5 december 2012

Having lotsa mirrors pranged off would reflect badly.

rwang |
5 december 2012

Keep registering your reactions to the ownership experience team. it appears they are tracking this issue and the one about not having any handles from the roof (commonly known as oh sh!t bars)

DTsea |
5 december 2012

Used to be cars only had mirrors on the driver's side anyway.

The flank of the car is almost as wide as the mirrors, anyway.

cjpitt |
6 december 2012

Odd question...if anyone happens to know.
I guess car manufacturers are required to put external mirrors on each side...But do they have to be 'in use'? Can you legally drive with the passenger side mirror folded? Or would that trigger safety alarms within the car? Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for driving with a folded mirror?

gregv64 |
6 december 2012

"The flank of the car is almost as wide as the mirrors, anyway."

Not really true. The mirrors add 9" to the width of the car. This is both according to the specs and owners who have verified the specs. Pictures are misleading.